Dear Santa,

I hope you are doing well.

B.J. Drye

That’s how most of these Santa letters begin, but I have to admit that I know you probably have a stomach ache from all those milk and cookies or a foot ache from Rudolph stepping on your foot.

I haven’t written you lately. It is hard for me to admit that.

Someone once said if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.

So if you don’t want to read a sad story about this year’s losses, stop reading now, Santa.

I don’t know if it is because I love history or if it is because I have spent way too many years typing obits, but I always enjoy the “in remembrance” segments shown on stations like TCM at this time of year. They remind me of the people who died this year and of the great work they did.

As for 2023, I would say it is one of those years where my childhood died.

Lisa Marie Presley, Suzanne Somers, Tony Bennett, Bob Barker, Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Springer, “Pee Wee” Herman — those are just a few off the people of the top of my head who died this year that have connections to my childhood or young adulthood.
From watching “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” on Saturday mornings or “The Price Is Right” when I was home sick, or catching an episode of “The Jerry Springer Show” as I walked through the lobby to the college library, they all left their mark on my life.

When Jimmy Buffett died on Sept. 1 (which is more than appropriate with it being Labor Day weekend, see “Come Monday”), I spent the majority of what little free time I have listening to his music and finding songs I had never heard before. (My new favorite is “Peanut Butter Conspiracy,” which is also the name of a rock band.)

But, Santa, these losses do not compare to the closer losses to my family.

As I write this on Tuesday afternoon, it was just hours ago I learned that my great-aunt Jean died. She was the last of my mom’s aunts.

She was also the one who I thought looked like Elizabeth Taylor, even though none of the other family members could see it. She was always dressed the part.

We also lost my unofficial uncle Cliff. He was my dad’s best friend from the Air Force for more than 50 years.

Even though I probably only spent about a month with him through the years, I still remember many of those moments.

He is the one who sent me an Arkansas Razorbacks jacket. Even though I am a diehard Duke fan, I proudly wore that coat around Stanfield Elementary School among the legions of Tarheel fans.

I’m surprised I didn’t get beat up for that, but there were many other reasons for me to get beat up.

He is the one who was a cross country truck driver. I kind of wish I had hitched a ride with him on one of his journeys.

He is the one who we traveled to see in Memphis, a 13-hour drive back in 2007. We are so glad we went back then because: 1) it remains my favorite vacation; 2) it was the last family vacation not involving the Carolinas; and 3) it is most likely the last time we are able to venture that far from home.

Santa, it is reasons like this that I wish a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer would become a legit mode of transportation for everyone.

Santa, by now you have received my wish list for this Christmas and the new year. The three items at the top would be much appreciated.

And like a birthday wish, I’m not telling anyone what they are.

That’s between Santa and me.

As to my readers, here’s wishing you a happy and healthy holiday.

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.

The post B.J. DRYE COLUMN: It’s been quite a year, Santa appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

After being suspended by the Department of North Carolina Veterans of Foreign Wars for around 90 days, VFW Post 2908 in Albemarle is back open with a new commander.

The post and canteen opened Oct. 25. Jon Bowlby is overseeing it.

State Commander Helen Nelson confirmed Nov. 9 that the post had reopened. Nelson would not discuss what the internal investigation into the Post was about, only that the former commander was reprimanded and suspended.

Bowlby, who joined the VFW in Albemarle in 2011, is a four-year veteran of the Marines who was deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-1991.

He said he joined the VFW because he “wanted to see what I could do to help veterans.”

He said his goals as commander are to be more visible in the community and upgrade the conditions of the Post.

“You will see us a lot more out in the community. You will see us a little more involved in the community and events downtown,” Bowlby said, adding that “we’re going to bring [the canteen] out of the 1970s.”

“We just want to make the Post a better place for their members and their friends,” he added.

The Post has more than 100 members, but it can always use more, Bowlby said.

“The VFW is unique. In order to be a member of the VFW you have to have been in a theatre of operation,” he said, adding members have to have “a campaign medal or be able to prove you were in a combat zone.”

Bowlby wants to have the VFW canteen open more on the weekends as well, for events such as football on Sunday afternoons and “Monday Night Football.”

Bowlby encouraged veterans who feel they may qualify for membership to visit www.vfwnc.com to fill out an application form, or visit the VFW, at 119 Anderson Road, for information. Call 704-982-6383.

“If you’re a veteran in need, reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you,” he said.

For the remainder of November, the following activities are planned for VFW Post 2908:

• a fundraiser pool tournament will be at 7:30 p.m. each Friday. Proceeds go for the Relief Fund to help veterans in need. Cost is $10 per player, with $3 of it going to the Relief Fund;

• Bingo at 6 p.m. each Tuesday; and

• Karaoke with Kelly Lowder each Saturday night in November.
VFW Post 2908 will be closed Nov. 23 for Thanksgiving.

The public is invited to all events.

The post VFW in Albemarle back open with new commander appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

Rosalynn Carter, wife of former president Jimmy Carter, died Sunday at age 96.

The former first lady stayed in Stanly County at least one time.

“When they were campaigning, Rosalynn stayed here at the house,” Amelia Fort Bell told The Stanly News & Press in October 2019, upon her father’s death.

Bell’s parents, Davis and Daisy Fort of Albemarle, became friends with the Carters as Davis was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention. Davis had known the future president as they both grew up in Georgia and were competitors in the peanut business.

A plaque decreeing that a member of the Carter family stayed at the Fort house is among the families treasured items from that time.

“When Rosalynn was here, she wanted to meet as many people as she could, go as many places,” Bell said.

Her trip to Albemarle was captured in a March 19, 1976 front page story of The Stanly News & Press. She addressed a gathering at the Stanly County Courthouse. She also met with a group for a prayer breakfast.

She said when the couple made it to The White House, the local church group would be invited for breakfast there, Bell said. The Carters kept their word, as a group chartered a plane to Washington, D.C. to meet with them. However, the meal was of fried chicken, cole slaw and banana pudding.

The Forts also attended an inaugural ball for the president.

President Carter, who has been in hospice care since March, is the oldest living former president and the longest-lived president. He celebrated his 99th birthday last month.

The post Remembering Rosalynn Carter’s connection to Stanly County appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

Former Albemarle fire marshal Brian Taylor signed paperwork Monday to officially become state fire marshal.

It happened less than two weeks after State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey fired his top staff in the Office of State Fire Marshal, including Taylor, as Causey and the General Assembly disputed whether the office should be independent from the state insurance commissioner.

Brian Taylor of Albemarle is the N.C. state fire marshal.

Taylor was appointed by Causey in 2018 to lead the office as chief state fire marshal. The role of state insurance commissioner is an elected position.

After Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 409, Taylor was named to the position, retroactively to Oct. 1. The General Assembly is expected to confirm the position in January.

One part of the bill was “to establish an independent office of the state fire marshal in the department of insurance, to prescribe the powers and duties of that office, and to amend certain firefighter programs.

Before going to his state position, Taylor had held positions of a volunteer firefighter, fire marshal and investigator with the City of Albemarle.

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.

The post Taylor named state fire marshal appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

A Richfield Elementary student has been elected.

Well, his sticker was elected.

Fifth grader Zachary Rodriguez won the Stanly County Board of Elections “I Voted” sticker contest.

His sticker featuring North Carolina with a flag received 176 votes, with 18 coming on Election Day Tuesday and 158 cast in early voting.

The second place finisher entered a sticker with a flag background and “I Voted” and “USA” on it. This choice received 26 Election Day votes and 135 in early voting.

“We were excited to see several future voters and a couple of the student sticker designers vote during our open house, as well as the community participation during ‘early voting’ on Facebook,” Elections Director Kimberly Blackwelder said. “Thank you to all the teachers and school administrators who supported and participated in the event. In the future we hope to expand school participation and student voting.”

Blackwelder said Rodriguez will be presented with a certificate and his class will receive a pizza party.

The post Richfield fifth grader wins ‘I Voted’ contest appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

It has been more than 11 years since Allison Hudson Mingle’s brother Will died of a fentanyl overdose. Six weeks after that, Mingle found herself in recovery for alcohol addiction.

“In the midst of my pain and healing, I recognized a profound need within our community — a need for resources, understanding and a guiding light for individuals and families struggling with addiction,” she said.

Mingle has made it a priority since then to honor her brother and help others.

“Fueled by my personal experience and the memory of my brother, I envisioned a place where individuals and families grappling with addiction could find solace, support and the resources needed to embark on the path to recovery,” she said. “I channeled her grief into action, laying the foundation for what would become Will’s Place in 2013.”

Will’s Place Recovery Resource Center opened on South Second Street in downtown Albemarle in November 2016. Mingle said increased rent led the organization to relocate to Sun Plaza Shopping Center in 2021.

That same year, Will’s Place was awarded a state infrastructure grant for $1.5 million to build a permanent home.

Now her dream of having a permanent home has come true.

Will’s Place is now at 540A N. First St., where Mingle wanted it to be from the beginning.

The building has 6,500 square feet, more than six times that of the center’s previous space.

Allison Hudson Mingle is ready for the grand opening of Will’s Place on Tuesday. (Contributed)

“Having more space opens up various opportunities to expand and improve the services and support we already offer to the community,” Mingle said. “With more space, we can accommodate more people seeking recovery services for counseling and support groups. It will allow us to diversify our services by adding educational workshops, health and wellness classes and art and recreational therapy. We will be able to offer therapeutic activities like yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions. We have space dedicated for a resource library and have space to collaborate with community organizations to host events.”

With the recent news of day cares in New York having fentanyl near children, with one child dying, and the arrest last month of two parents in Stanly County after their child overdosed on a substance thought to be fentanyl, Mingle said “it serves as a distressing reflection of the pervasive issue of drug use in our country. It underscores the tragic reality that drugs have infiltrated even the most innocent and vulnerable spaces, putting our children at risk.”

She said that news “highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive, community-driven approach to combating drug use in our country.”

Stanly County commissioners must have saw the need as well, since the board recently approved $40,000 in funding for Will’s Place.

Rise Yoga is open in the same facility as Will’s Place. (Contributed)

Besides Will’s Place, Mingle has opened Rise Yoga at 540B N. First St.

Rise pays rent to Will’s Place. It offers many types of yoga and has monthly workshops.

“We opened Rise Yoga with the motivation of fostering a sense of community and shared purpose within the same building of Will’s Place,” she said. “Like Will’s Place, Rise Yoga is a space that is free from judgment, where everyone is welcome and where you will be treated with kindness and love. We think yoga should be accessible to everyone so we offer ‘Mindful Giving’ classes where individuals can contribute an amount that suits their budget, to ensure that financial constraints never hinder their practice.”

Mingle believes her brother would be proud that his death was used to help a community.

“I think he would be humbled by all the support Will’s Place has received. Will would never want it to be about him. That’s not who Will was,” she said. “I think he’d feel a real sense of purpose and gratitude knowing that, even in death, he is part of something much greater than himself. I think he would be at peace knowing that there’s a place for people who are struggling with addiction to go for help. I think he’s probably very pleased with all of it.”

A grand opening for Will’s Place is planned for 5-7 p.m. Tuesday.

“The building is being dedicated to David and Joanne Gettleman in grateful recognition of their extraordinary generosity and support to Will’s Place,” Mingle said.

Will’s Place’s office is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday. AA meetings, family support group and recovery support meetings are conducted on various days, such as Men’s AA at 8 p.m. Wednesday and PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Visit www.willsplacenc.org or www.riseyoga-alb.com for more information.

The post RISING WITH THE FALLEN: Will’s Place finds its dream home appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

The post Reader’s Choice 2023 appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey fired top staff in the Office of State Fire Marshal on Tuesday, including a Stanly County resident, as Causey and the General Assembly dispute “over whether the office should be an independent agency led by someone with firefighting experience,” according to the News & Observer of Raleigh.

Brian Taylor, who was appointed by Causey in 2018 to lead the office as chief state fire marshal, confirmed with the N&O three dismissals. He later confirmed with The Stanly News & Press his firing.

“I was let go today by Commissioner Causey…pending the governor signing SB409, which will make me the new state fire marshal until the General Assembly confirms me for a 3-year term,” Taylor told the SNAP.

“Until recently, the state insurance commissioner carried the title of state fire marshal,” the N&O reported. “It had been that way since the late 1940s, until state lawmakers passed legislation this session creating an independent agency. Republicans dominate the legislature, and Causey is a Republican.”

“This is really a political fight between the commissioner and the legislature,” Taylor said told the N&O, “so I would basically call it a family feud or family fight and the Office of State Fire Marshal is caught up in the middle of it.”

Before going to his state position, Taylor had held positions of a volunteer firefighter, fire marshal and investigator with the City of Albemarle.

The post Taylor fired as chief state fire marshal over ‘political fight’ appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

William Gregory “Ted” Kluttz, the first Black chief sheriff’s deputy in the county, died Friday at his home in Oakboro. He was 72.

“Ted” Kluttz

Although he was retired, individuals from multiple generations found ways to pay tribute to Kluttz by phone or social media post.

Oakboro Police Chief T.J. Smith offered a Facebook post, relaying a story he said he received from Karen Bivens Kluttz, the chief deputy’s wife of 50 years. It was how he became known as “Ted.”

“Sheriff Ralph McSwain hired Mr. Kluttz in 1973 as a Deputy Sheriff. At the time, his family and friends called Deputy Chief “Tizz;” as the story went on, Sheriff McSwain had a hard time pronouncing “Tizz,” so, he decided “Ted” would suffice. From then on, he was known as Deputy Ted Kluttz.”

Kluttz served Stanly from Feb. 2, 1973 to Feb. 28, 2003, according to Sheriff Jeff Crisco.

Kluttz worked under four sheriffs: McSwain, Roger Lowder, Joe E. Lowder and Tony Frick.

Bill Hall and Jeff Branch worked for Kluttz during his time with the Sheriff’s Office.

While many times officers change with a change in sheriff, Hall and Branch spoke of how Kluttz was the continuity that held the Sheriff’s Office together.

Following the death of Sheriff Roger Lowder and appointment of Joe Lowder to the position of sheriff in the fall of 1992, Kluttz was named chief deputy.

“He educated [other officers] on how to deal with the public,” said Branch, who was a dispatcher at the time before heading to D.A.R.E. training. “He was there to guide you on making the right decisions.”

“He was an asset to the department in that he was the steady hand there,” Hall added. “He was the one that calmed things down and made you look a little closer at what was going on. He knew the law and knew how to apply it with the right force or pressure.”

Hall, who worked from 1978 to 2006 at the Sheriff’s Office, said Kluttz was well respected, even by those he was charging.

“He could probably arrest someone and make them feel good about it,” Hall said. “He knew how to explain things to them.”

Branch added: “I never really saw Ted get mad or anything. He was always the same.”

Hall said Kluttz was someone the department relied on.

“His opinion was highly valued not just to us working stiffs, but to the sheriff as well,” Hall said. “He was the rock at the department.”

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Leavitt Funeral Home of Wadesboro.

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.

The post ‘Ted’ Kluttz, first Black chief deputy, dies appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.

Gaylon Pope & Sweetwater will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center as the second concert of the season for the Stanly County Concert Association.

The group performs a variety show style with elements of country, gospel, Motown and comedy.

“We are delighted to have Gaylon Pope & Sweetwater return for a concert with us,” said Charlotte Maness, president of the SCCA. “They were with us a few years ago and we all enjoyed them very much. We always listen to your comments after concerts and we appreciated the requests to have them return.

“Many of you have known Gaylon for years as he was the minister of music at First Assembly here in Albemarle and produced, at the Ag Center, the drama ‘The Witness.’ This drama was recognized as one of the largest and finest passion plays in North Carolina. He has lots of friends here and I know you all will want to come to this concert.”
Adult tickets are $25 and student tickets are $10. Visit stanlyconcert.com for more information on this show and to purchase tickets.

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.

The post Gaylon Pope & Sweetwater to return to Albemarle appeared first on The Stanly News & Press.